So many vendors…so little time.

So you’ve got a website, eh? And you’re looking for another one?

WHY???

Before you start looking for a new website provider, the above question is critical in determining what you are shopping for. Below are a few questions to ask yourself before you begin:

1. What is my current website producing for my dealership?

Does anything else really matter?

In order to determine what website vendor is going to produce more, you have to understand what MORE is!! I recommend finding out how much traffic your site is getting on a monthly basis and how many leads it is producing. If you are satisfied with these results, there is no need to shop. If you feel you can do better, ask each vendor you speak with EXACTLY how they will improve your lead count and website traffic.

2. What is it I dislike about my dealership’s website?

It is a design problem or a usability problem? Is it a traffic problem or a conversion problem?

If you’re shopping for a new website provider, you must have a reason. Identify this earlier on in order to ask each vendor you talk to what they are going to do to improve your current site.

3. How do customers find my website?

Go to Google, Yahoo!, and MSN and try to find dealerships in your area. If you are a Ford Dealer in Seattle, WA, Google ‘Ford Dealer Seattle, WA’ and see where you are listed. If they can’t find your website on the search engines, you have a bad website.

Regardless of what report you want to trust, 50-90% of all customers in your market start their automotive purchasing decisions using one of the three major search engines. If you think you have a better way to drive customers to your website, you don’t!!

4. How are my Internet leads handled?

Where is your money going? What is my money doing for you?

The Internet is the new phone. Your dealership answers each phone call the same, why not each Internet lead? Are you using CRM/ILM tool to enter each of your leads into a sales process or are your leads going into your 5th best salesperson’s Hotmail account.

Internet Lead Management tools are ABSOLUTELY necessary if you want to be successful online. Find out how each website vendor you talk to is going to help you sell more cars once a lead has arrived at your dealership.